My first (of many) stupid questions - Things are rather quiet.

[marko]

I knew it would not be long before I was asking my first stupid question so here goes.

I have had my bike almost a month now and have been out on almost every single night.

Now when I am riding along, when you stop peddling and are coasting you get the ticking sound from the back wheel (a ratchet sort of sound). This is the same sound as you get when you peddle backwards etc.

I hope somebody understands what I am trying to describe here.

I have heard this sound on every single bike I have ever come across.

Well tonight, that sound is gone!

When I am riding along and then stop peddling and start to coast, silence.

When I peddle backwards, silence

The bike seems to be riding OK, gears change, peddles go round, bike moves forward etc but all in a very quiet fashion.

So is this normal or is there something I should be looking at here?

Thanks

 

[OLDSHUNTER]

HAVE YOU OILED IT

 

[Radius]

The sound you're hearing is the ratchet mechanism in the freewheel, and it could now be a bust freewheel, the mechanism could have gone. Not normally a good sign.

 

[mickle]

Your clicking noise wasn't attached securely and has fallen off!

Actually I don't know. If it had one to begin with and now doesn't, but the bike still works I wouldn't worry. Is it a new bike?

 

[numbnuts]

Well tonight, that sound is gone

have you gone deaf

 

[marko]

HAVE YOU OILED IT

YES!

The sound you're hearing is the ratchet mechanism in the freewheel, and it could now be a bust freewheel, the mechanism could have gone. Not normally a good sign.

Your clicking noise wasn't attached securely and has fallen off!

Actually I don't know. If it had one to begin with and now doesn't, but the bike still works I wouldn't worry. Is it a new bike?

Yes. It's a 4 week old Trek 7300. I just wanted to check if this was a real problem before I got on the phone to the shop

have you gone deaf

Pardon

 

[dan_bo]

IT'S GONNA BLOW!

 

[simon_brooke]

The sound you're hearing is the ratchet mechanism in the freewheel, and it could now be a bust freewheel, the mechanism could have gone. Not normally a good sign.

Is the right answer. The OP says the transmission is still working so the ratchet has not jammed entirely. However what tends to happen is that the grease gets more viscous with age until it's acting more like glue; at that point the clicky sound diminishes and shortly thereafter the ratchet stops working all together.

Disassemble, clean out the old grease; regrease with fresh grease, reassemble.

It'll be fine.

 

[marko]

Disassemble, clean out the old grease; regrease with fresh grease, reassemble.

At 4 weeks old on a £500 bike, I think this will be a job that the bike shop will be doing

Thanks

 

[numbnuts]

Mark I would take it back to the shop and get them to look at it

 

[Radius]

Unfortunately most bikes aren't adequately greased by their supplier / shop, only furnished with a thin layer to make everything run smoothly for a short while. It's not uncommon to receive under-greased bikes from a shop, but you're right, they should sort it out. Where did you buy it from?

 

[marko]

Unfortunately most bikes aren't adequately greased by their supplier / shop, only furnished with a thin layer to make everything run smoothly for a short while. It's not uncommon to receive under-greased bikes from a shop, but you're right, they should sort it out. Where did you buy it from?

Thanks

I bought it from an independant this side of Peterborough.

Their advice (over the phone) is that if it is not slipping at all (and it isn't) then don't worry about it right now. As it is due in for it's 6 week initial check in a couple of weeks however, they will double check all is well then, however it could be just "one of those things"

So I shall see how things go for the moment but as the bike seems to be riding just fine (just a bit on the quiet side) don't worry.

In the meantime, whilst I am out tonight I will keep mickles advice in mind just in case the noise has fallen off and I spot it in the gutter

 

[swee'pea99]

Some click, some don't. I had one that didn't and I rode it for a couple of years and thousands of miles with no probs.

 

[Kestevan]

Then again, my Fulcrum did initially click. Then the pawl spring snapped and it went all silent, but continued to run OK.

I ignored it for a couple of weeks - right up until the bearings disintegrated.......

 

[marko]

Then again, my Fulcrum did initially click. Then the pawl spring snapped and it went all silent, but continued to run OK.

I ignored it for a couple of weeks - right up until the bearings disintegrated.......

My worry was that it did then it didn't hence the thinking that something has changed/broken.

I have spoken to the shop, I have asked advice here and it is due a 6 week check in 2 weeks time.

If it fails before then (it might or it might not) then it will get taken back to the shop for them to sort it. If it carries on for another thousand miles then fair enough.